(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a pencil case that also serves as a bookmarker. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a pencil case that includes an adjustable band that accommodates varied thicknesses of material, and thereby accepts accommodates various numbers of pages to mark a location in a book, for example.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
When studying from a book, particularly a book that may take many days to read, it is well known that it is convenient to use a book-marking device to keep track of the location in the book where the reader has left off. Additionally, it is convenient for the reader to carry additional materials that are to be used to write or mark the book in order to assist the reader in reviewing the material at a later date. In order to carry all of the materials needed for underlining, highlighting, and jotting down notes about the material being read, the reader has to carry a separate pencil pouch or other device that can hold things such as pencils, markers, erasers, rulers, magnifying glasses, and similar materials.
Known devices that serve to mark pages in a book can be found in the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No.InventorDate of Issue6,109,204Hoey et al.Aug. 29, 20005,501,171LeakeMar. 26, 19965,456,497Ross, Jr.Oct. 10, 19955,325,959GoldbergerJul. 5, 19944,162,800Gonot, Jr. et al.Jul. 31, 19793,898,951ClareAug. 12, 1975D449,648AndlerOct. 23, 2001
None of these devices, however, allows a user to carry a variety of writing, marking, or reading instruments together at one time. Additionally, most of these devices suffer from limitations associated with the use of non-extendible materials for marking page locations. One significant limitation associated with these fixed-length materials is that they can bind against the pages upon opening the book. The binding is associated with the relative sliding and rearranging of the pages as the book is opened to a particular location in the book, and the pages are turned about the spine of the book. Devices such as the Hoey et al. device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,204, or the Goldenberger device are made of entirely inelastic material, and do not accommodate the movements of the pages when the book is opened.
Still another device, which accommodates movements of the pages of a book, is found in the patent to Ross, Jr. The Ross, Jr., device is designed to hold a book open at a location, and allow one handed support of the book while in the open position. However, this device does little for addressing the need to carry several pens, markers, erasers, and other personal belongings. Furthermore, the Ross, Jr., device includes a small section of elastic material that is used to bridge the ends of a section of inelastic material that is used to support a handle. The handle is used to allow a person to hold the book.
Because the Ross, Jr. device is primarily a book support device, the elastic portion is very short in relation to the handle support portion. The length of elastic material to be incorporated in this type of device must be kept at a minimum due to the well known relationship between total elongation or strain and a given amount of stress. Thus, in order to maintain the stability of a device that is used to support a book, these devices must limit the amount of elongation created by the device. This reduction in the amount of elongation limits the versatility of this type of device by limiting the size of a book that can be accommodated by the device.
Thus, a review of known devices demonstrates that there remains a need for a device that can be used to mark the reading location in a book and that can accommodate a variety of book sizes.
There remains a need for a book marking device that can accommodate a variety of different sizes of books, and that can be used to carry a variety of materials used while reading, for example pencils, highlighting pens or markers, erasers, magnifying glasses, rulers, and the like.
There remains a need for a device that can be used in a three-ring binder and which can be easily transferred to a book where the device is used to mark locations in the book.
There remains a need for a device that can be used to store materials in a three-ring binder and mark the page location in the binder where the person is to commence taking notes.
There remain a need for a device that can be securely supported from a book while carrying a variety of reading materials, and which allows a user to mark a variety of different pages in the book at one time.